Electric system and device therefor



1944- G. T. SOUTHGATE 2,354,711

ELECTRIC SYSTEM AND DEVICE THEREFOR Filed April 16, 1940 9 Shegts-Sheet 1 Fig.1 1 Fig.3

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Inventor 1944- G. T. SOUTHGATE ELECTRIC SYSTEM AND DEVICE THEREFOR Filed April 16, 1940 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Villlll!lllllllllliiari 4i lornqqs Aug. 1, 1944.

G. T. SOUTHGATE 2,354,711

ELECTRIC. SYSTEM AND DEVICE THEREFOR Filed April 16, 1940 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR'. George Z'Saufhyafc,

ATTORNEYS 1944- G. T. SOUTHGATE 2,354,711

ELECTRIC SYSTEM AND DEVICE THEREFOR Filed April 16, 1940 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 60 shift INVENTOR: George 7." Soul/190k,

$3 6M WW ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 1, 1944 UNITED" STATES PATENT osrlca 31 Claims. (Cl. 175-364) This invention pertains to electric systems wherein electromotive induction is combined with commutative or simple rectification, and to contactive means therefor.

In United States Letters Patent 1,967,135, issued July 17, 1934, on my invention entitled "Commutating method and device." in United States Letters Patent 2,165,309, issued July 11, 1939, on my invention entitled Electric power conversion," and in my United States Letters Patent 2,254,247, issued September 2, 1941, on my invention entitled "Electric conversion," I have illustrated certain electric systems together with forms of vibratory apparatus devised to perform the contacting required in those inventions. The present invention advantageously collaborates with and extends this class of operations. Certain of the contacting means herein are also well adapted to other periodic or aperiodic connecting as in selective relays.

One object of the invention is the provision of conversion systems wherein electromotive means are combined and coact with improved vibratory contactors comprising sealed cells. Thereby the rectifying and commutative functions areperformed with greater satisfaction than by the prior forms of my contactive apparatus, and the flexibility of exploitation of the systems is facilitated.' The electromotive means may include transformers, generators or other apparatus in which electromotive force is induced.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a conversion method conducting currents from a junction, through polyphaseconnected transformers and vibratorily actuated,

rectifying contactors to and through a directcurrent power circuit; also the provision of a method of vibratory commutation with voltage adjustment through phase-shifting of the vibratory actuation.

The improved contacting means of this invention are characterized in part by contact members having surfaces mobile or yieldable as to form or contour, hence adapted to the making of full faced contact rather than touching at a few local spots. Specifically, these improved elements differ from contact members whose working faces are relatively rigid and can give only part-faced contact even though mounted on fiexible supports. The surface mobility of the improved contactors is imparted by bodies of liquid metal such as mercury, or by fiuidizing the faces of solid metal parts through wetting with merfinely subdivided solid'metal elements at the surface.

A further important feature is enclosureof the driving elements with the electrically contactive parts. The driving elements may be actuated by changes of flux in magnetic circuits in which these elements are included. The enclosing cells may contain protective gases sealed off at any suitable pressure. Herein by "sealed cell" is meant one either permanently closed off or held at a desired pressure as-by pumping.

The contacting means of my invention having mobile or yieldable surfaces differs from conventional mercury contactors, among other things, in that herein heavy currents may be led via substantial total cross-sections of solid good conductors such as copper or tungsten, through intervening films or broad and short paths of mercury, rather than through columns of that highresistance liquid metal.

An important aspect of the invention is that the magnetically actuated elements may be polarized with unidirectional magnetism; whereby the movements of the parts may be made selective with respect to the actuative fiuxes, and the amount of the displacement enhanced.

An additional distinction is the construction of coacting members into compact and interchangeable contactor units, ready for insertion in an electric system. The electric system may be served by one of these units having appropriate contacting elements, or by plural contactors, connected and collaborating in parallel,

in series or in other arrangements.

Compactness and lightness are among the primary objects sought in this invention, especury, or by separately and resiliently yieldable. 66

cially in the service of rectification, through exploitation of the superior power capacity of magnetic switches as compared with asymmetrically resistive circuit controllers such as mercuryvapor, electronic or junction rectifiers, hereinafter called asymmetric resistances.

Durability of the working parts in my compact contactors is another object, particularly for the continuous taskof conversion.

Efllciency of energytransfer through metallic contacting in my apparatus is an important obiect of improvement over the relatively high-loss conduction in asymmetric resistances.

Design flexibility within its principles, for large or small currents or voltages, for standard frequencies in current conversion, and for various kinds of relay actions, is an object of improvement as compared with the economic ings.

"throughout the several views.

limitations of asymmetric resistances, rotary commutators, etc.

Ampleness of ampere capacity not only in the contact elements but also in their connections to the external circuits, and relief of springs or other elastic elements from major electric conduction to the contacts, are important objects herein.

Coordination of the stated objects serves a major object, that of providing a contactor having the advantages of enclosure, of ampleness of the contacts, and of such reliability and permanence of their coaction as to obviate the need of access for reconditioning.

I have discovered that relative motion within a cell of certain improved elements gives excellent facility of actuation from without the cell by electromagnetic means. Where employed in vibratory conversion, several forms of the contactors are designed preferably with elastic elements so coordinated with the inertia of the moving parts as to give a resultant frequency of their natural vibration tuned in definite relation to the frequency of the applied actuative magnetic forces.

Several but not all possible embodiments of my invention are shown in the accompanying draw- Similar numbers refer to similar parts Fig. l is a unit or cell of one form of my contactor, in vertical "midsection indicated by the plane I-i of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a plan section in the plane 2-2 of Fig. l, drawn to show more clearly certa n elements in the contacting arrangement;

Fig. 3 is a vertical midsection at right angles to the plane of Fig. 1, as shown by the plane 3-! in Figs. 1 and 4;

Fig. 4 is a plan section in the plane 4-4 marked in Fig. 3, to complete the showing of the actuative parts of this cell;

Fig. 5 is an isometric projection of a detailed improvement in the fioor of this cell;

Fig. 6, a vertical midsection, shows one cell of another form of my contactor, together with the relevant portions of a typical magnetic mounting employed in its utilization:

Fig. 7 is a plan view, comprising sectons at three levels, la, 1b, and 1c marked in Fig. 6, showing the magnetic arrangements in full polyphase assembly such as is illustrated for one phase only in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical midsection of a form of combined elastic and actuation elements, comprising a ferromagnetic multiple-bellows tube that may support such movable contacts as those in Fig. 6; Y

Figs. 9, l0 and 11, respectively two vertical sections and a horizontal section, depict a rectangular form of contactor base and its contained elements as a modification of the circular form in Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a vertical midsection; Fig. 10 is a vertical section in the broken plane iD-il of Fig. 9; and Fig. 11 is a horizontal section in the bmken plane H-li of Fig. 9;

Fig. 12, a vertical midsection, shows a form of my improved contactor wherein the conduction of the power current is lengthwise of the cell as a whole rather than (as in Fig. 6) in a loop of an inverted U at the base;

Fig. 13 is a horizontal section in the plane l3-|3 of Fig. 12, showing details of the contacting and pool-stilling elements;

Fig. 14 is a vertical midseetion of a form of contacting elements modified from those in Figs. 12 and 13;

Fig. 15 is a horizontal section of the pin-type moving contact elements of Fig. 12 combined with a pool-stilling means difiering somewhat from the means shown in Figs. 12 and 13;

Figs. 16, 17 and 18, respectively a vertical section iB-II, the horizontal section in the broken upper plane I! marked in Fig. 16, and the horizontal section in the lower plane l8, also indicated in Fig. 16, show a form of my contactor combining with heavy ampere capacity the double-throw action of the form in Figs. 1 to 5 inelusive;

Figs. 19 and 20, respectively a vertical midsection and a plan section in the two planes marked 280-200 and 2lb20b in Fig. 19, show a form of my contactor in which the electromagnetic action is rotary and is converted into reciprocative motion delivered to the moving contacts;

Figs. 21 and 22 are diagrams of electric (as distinguished from magnetic) means of polarizing the actuation of the contactors;

Figs. 23 and 24, respectively a vertical midsection and a horizontal section in the broken plane 24 in Fig. 23, show a form of the contactor derived by combining the actuative elements of Fig. 6 with the mid-supporting parts and the contactive elements of Fig. 19;

Fig. 25, a vertical midsection, illustrates a favored form of my contactor wherein the design of Figs. 23 and 24 is altered only by substituting for the blade-and-slot contacts the pin-type contact elements introduced in Figs. 12 and 13;

Figs. 26, 2'7, 28 and 29 are views of a form of contactor actuated by gravity and suitable for relatively heavy currents; the two upper views being midsections in the same direction but shown at different angles of tilt: Fig. 28 being a section in the plane 28-28 of Fig. 26; and Fig. 29 being a section in the plane 29-28 of Fig. 27;

Fig. 30 is a diagram of a method of electric conversion employing vibratory contacting with auxiliary rectification in parallel therewith;

Fig. 31 is a diagram illustrating a method of polyphase conversion employing vibratory contacting;

Fig. 32 is a diagram of a method of polyphase conversion employing vibratory contacting, modified to permit adjustment of the output voltage; and

Fig. 33 is a diagram of four sets of sine waves used in explaining the actions in the method corresponding to Fig. 32.

I will first describe several forms of the contactors comprised in the invention. and thereafter will further set forth their relation to my improved electric conversion.

Rei'erring to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the numeral ill designates one form of my improved contactor. In it the small pools II, II of liquid metal are contained in four contact cups I2, II. The liquid metal is generally and preferably mercury, and the containing cup may be made of a metal'not freely soluble in mercury, such as copper or molybdenum. The cups II are extended upward for about 01' their obliquely outward peripheries into shields ll, II, to protect the adjacent electric insulation from radiation due to any sparking.

The cups I 2 are' fastened to the top ends of lead-in studs i4, I4, which have threaded upper ends for holding the cups and studs with the assistance of cement, tight against gas or liquid seepage. The midportions of studs II are provided with fluted enlargements l5, lta, to serve as radiators of heat carried down from their upper or working ends. In Fig. lit is shown that radiators lia are shorter than II, by an amount to accommodate a horizontal copper bar l3, which electrically unites the two contact cups above; it at the same potential. The underside of this bar carries a connection prong Ila, while the two full-length radiators I! are extended into prongs l1, II. The three prongs form a set for connecting the contactor in its typical function as a three-way vibratory switch, such as may be employed in commutat ng one of the tap-points of a stationary (otherwise ordinary) closed-winding armature. All three prongs are adapted to be inserted into connection sockets (not shown) similarly to the plugging of a radio tube into its receptacle.

The threaded upper ends of the connection studs ll are screwed intocell body I I of nsulating material such as glass or a resinoid, here shown transparent for visibility of the parts. This cell body is closed at the top with a cover I! of preferably transparent material such as glass or clear resinoid. clamped by the screws i9al9a h and sealed by the impervious gasket 20.

The main or power electric circuits are operatively completed between the mercury cups by metal bridges 2|, 2t and contact pins 22, 22. For lightness the bridges may be made of aluminum alloy; and the contact pins 22 may be made of spark-resisting refractory metal such as tungsten or molybdenum. In vibratory contacting, the dipping of these pins tends to cause splashing; and this may be minimzed by piuralizing the pins in electric parallel on each arm and reducing the size of the pins.

Such splashing of mercury as does occur may be compensated by providing means for the immediate and substantially uniform return of the liquid to the four pools. In Fg. 5 there is illustrated a modification of the floor of the insulating cell body It, comprising the formation of slopes having ridges Ida and lib and low portions at the four comers level with the tops of the cups ll. Under normal conditions t e splashed droplets are returned at random to the four sloping sect ons and hence maintain an equilibrium; but if one pool-starts with or receives more mercury than the others, its higher level causes its loss by splashing to be greater than its share of the returns, and thus restores the equilibrium. This action requires such symmetry of dimens ons as is seen provided, and reasonable levelling of the cell.

In Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the bridges 2| are actuated 7 by the rocker 23 of steel, preferably laminated,

through the insulating brackets 24, 24 of a resihold or the like, strongly fastened between these parts. The rocker 23 is mounted upon a steel shaft 25, in turn journalled in bushings 26, 26 of preferably graphite-impregnated, self-lubri ative metal alloy. These bush ngs may be made access ble by the gas-tight taper threaded plugs 21, 21 of metal or resinoid.

The rocker 23, by means of the spring 28, is given a normal tendency toreturn to the neutral position as shown. When the contactor is employed in vibratory switching, this spring sho ld be of such stiffness that in interact on with the inertia of the moving system it will cause t e natural frequency of the system to be suitably close to that of the electric circuit undergoing the switching. as in rectification. For that utilization, further explanation is given of desirable tuning of frequency of the moving parts, hereinafter with reference to the modification shown in Fig. 6. The rocker and its shaft are positioned close to but not in rubbing contact with a steel central clevis 29, fastened down to the cell body I! as by the threading shown.

The clevis 23 transmits polarzing flux from without the cell to the rocker 23, i. e., from the magnet 30. preferably of one of the new magnet steels containing aluminum, nickel and sometimes cobalt. Instead of or auxiliary to the use of permanent-magnet alloy for the member 30 it may be excited from a coil 3| as shown lightly dotted in Figs. 2 and 4 carrying d rect current. This polarizing coil may cooperate in imparting large actuative force and amplitude to the rocker 23. The upper end of magnet 30 is held pressed against the threaded lower portion of clevis 29, by means of a cross-bar32 of soft steel, in turn fastened to'the variable-flux cores 33, 33 of soft steel. In vibratory use of the contactor, the cross-bar 32 and the unthreaded portions of cores 33 may be laminated as is familiar in the art, inasmuch as they are then excited with alternating magnetomotive force from the actuative coils 34, 34. If the actuation is done with direct current, as in relays, these steel parts need not be lamnated. The current for the coils is carried thereto by means of the auxiliary connection posts 35, 35.

In any operation, whether vibratory or occasional switching, the timing or phase of the actuative currents in these coils must bear a proper relation to the t ming required of the power currents conducted through the main contacts comprising the mercury pools.

Because of its series double breaking of each circuit, and the use of mercury for electrodes, this contactor is suitable for relatively high-voltage operation. Its eiliciency therefor may be enhanced by employing as the gas within the cell a chemically inert and spark-quenching one such as helium or hydrogen, and further by using this gas at relatively high pressure, e. g. ten atmospheres. 1

- The operation of the foregoing form of my improved contactor is fairly obvious from the description. When actuative current passes through the coils 34, 34, in the direction such that its magnetomotive force is additive to that of the polarizing magnets in say the left-hand core 33 of Figs. 3 and 4, this same current produces simultaneously in the right-hand core an equal magnetomotive force that is subtractive from the polarization therein. In consequence, the attraction from the rocker 23 to the lefthand core is increased and that to the right-hand core decreased; so that the rocker moves counterclockwiseagainst the stiilness of the spring 28, and the left-hand bridge 2! and pins 22 are caused to span connection between the corresponding mercury pools II. A reversal of the current in the coils 34 causes reversal of this motion of the parts, whether the current in the coils be an isolated pulse as in occasional switching or steadily periodic as in commutation or rectification. I The general modification of my improved contactor shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is a preferred form where moderately heavy currents are to be carried, especially in the service of vibratory rectiflcation. Forexample, in Fig. 6 of the full-size patent drawings, the apparatus is shown of actual size for a rating of amperes rectified output per contactor, having been operated at considerably above that current. As in a system ofconnection commonly employed with vapor rectifiers and their transformers, a six-phase grouping of these elements gives six times the current output of one, with the unique distinction that herein the rectified current is conducted in lowresistance paths of solid and liquid metals rather than in the power-wasteful medium of the mercury arc.

Magnetic benefits from polyphase cooperation in the actuation of the improved contactors are exemplified in Figs. 6 and 7, where one polarizing system serves six contactors actuated in six phases or steps of timing. One consequence of this cooperation is that permanent magnets may be employed for polarization without risk of being demagnetized; because the alternating magnetomotive forces of actuation at all times add up to zero from end to end of the permanent magnets.

In these figures, a central permanent magnet 35 (also marked N-S) is connected by upper bolt 31 and lower bolt 35 and clamped by nuts 39, 39,

to the upper polarizing flange 4| and lower polarizing flange 42. The bolts 31 and 38, of mild steel, are provided with wide heads having fiat faces that adhere directly to the fiat ends of the magnet 35, and with the shanks and threads as shown to fit the nuts. The nuts may be of a self-locking variety, and may be seated on ordinary steel washers 43, 43. A spread washer 44 is provided above the top polarizing flange, and a metal ring 45 beneath the lower one, to distribute over a wide area the clamping pressure thereon.

These polarizing flanges 4| and 42 may be of laminated transformer steel, assembled from sheets punched with the central holes 45, 45 and outer holes 41 and 48. The holes 41 in the upper polarizing flanges 4| are larger than the holes 45 in the lower flanges 42, for reasons that will be evident below. The assembly of the magnet 35, its fastenings and the polarizing flanges is centrally supported on the structural plate 45, and insulated therefrom by the sheet insulation Th magnet 36 is encased in a copper jacket 52, which serves the double purpose of shielding the magnet from stray alternating fluxes with their demagnetizing effect, and of structurally binding together the terminal bolts 31 and 34 by means of the threads 53, 53, or by an equivalent such as forming over the ends of the jacket 52.

The unitary contactor 54 is inserted into holes 41 and 48 of the upper and lower polarizing fianges 4| and 42 respectively. The contactor 54, including the actuative coil 55 forming a part thereof, is framed upon a composite metal shell 58 whose upper and lower ends form the boundaries of the contactor where inserted into the holes 41 and 48 respectively, and whose parts will now be detailed.

The shell 58 comprises the upper, outer collar 51, fitting the hole 41, the connective head 55, the inner, upper tube 59 and the upper pole-ring 5|; the foregoing parts being of mild steel. The head 58 and collar 51 together form a magnetic path from the upper polarizing flange 4|, around the top of coil 55 to the steel upper tube 55. The

middle portion of shell 55 is formed of the copper tube or corset 52, which leaves a long magnetic gap in the shell 55. Continuing downward, the copper corset 82 is Joined to the lower polering 63, which in turn is united with the lower tube 64 that fits into the hole 45. The lower tube 54 may be provided witha flange 65 to form a better mechanical and magnetic Junction with the laminated polarizing flange 42.

[The entire shell 58 is divided by a lengthwise split in one radial direction, preferably outwardly as illustrated in Fig. 6 by the lack of hatching. This split, designated 45 in Fig. 7, is matched by splits 51, B1 of at least equal width in the polarizing flanges 4| and 42. The purpose of the split is to prevent any circular secondary currents from flowing in and heating the shell 55 by virtue of the voltage induced therein from the alternating currents in the coil 55.

Within the magnetic, supporting tube 55 is contained an enclosed cell 68, which is filled with a protective gas 69. If the operating voltage of the contactor be low, the pressure of the gas need be but little above atmospheric, to assure that the reactive gases oxygen and nitrogen do not enter. For high voltages, there is substantial advantage in employing the filling gas under considerable pressures, such as ten atmospheres. One of the inert gases of the helium family may be employed, but hydrogen has the advantage that it may reduce oxide films formed on the contacting metals by any traces of oxygen left in the cell, and for this reason it is preferred. It adds the requirements that the cell be sealed tightly and, against any possibility of oxygen inleakage, that its case be shatterproof.

The upper wall of the cell 68 is formed by the insulating tube H, as of a resinoid or shatterproof glass. This tube fits snugly within the pole-rings Si and 53, and through gas-tight gaskets I2, 12 is pressed and sealed at its ends by members 13 and 14. Member 13 is a cap of metal or of impervious, strong insulating material. clamped upon the gasket 12 by a number of stay bolts 15, I5 and their nuts 15. If the cap 15 is of metal, the bolts 15 preferably should be insulated therefrom by the bushings I1, 11.. The member 14 at the lower end of tube 1| is a cup formed of insulating material such as a resinoid, to be more fully described hereinafter.

Concentricwithin but insulated from the lower pole-ring 53, and screwed into the cup 14, is a spring-supporting ring 18 of mild steel; to which is welded or brazed a compression coil spring I! of flat wire. This spring may be of carbon spring steel, but preferably should be of an alloy steel having somewhat lower magnetic permeance and much higher strength and vibratory endurance limit in share, such as chrome-vanadium steel. Alloy steel so selected may have endurance limits four to five times the maximum relevant stress in the operating deflection of the spring, and thus have practically perpetual working life. To

the top end of spring I9 is welded or brazed the upper terminal ring 8| of mild steel. Instead of being separate from and fastened to each other, the spring 19 and its terminal fittings I5 and II may be formed integrally by machining from a blank consisting of a heavy-walled tube.

Through its supporting ring 18 and upper terminal ring 8|, the spring 19 subtends the magnetic gap spanned by the copper corset 52. and thus completes through the contactor the magnetic circuits of both the polarization and the actuation. By a feature unique to my invention, the compression spring serves as the mechanical driving element in the magnetic system. That is to say, the magnetic flux led from one end of the spring to the other causes the faces of the successive turns to be attracted to each other, with force that is transmitted throughout the length of the spring 19. As the flux is led into and out of the spring substantially radially by way of the terminal fittings I8 and 8|, there is no unbalanced other attraction; and in practical operation the actuation of the spring is calculable and smooth. Rings "and 8| should each have a single split, to prevent induced currents therein.

The stiffness of the spring I8 should be such that in reaction with the total mass of the loading upon its free end (plusone-third of the mass of the spring), the natural vibratory frequency of the moving system should be near that of the altemating-current supply in the actuative coil 55. Thus tuned to near resonance with the electric frequency, the moving system will vibrate with large amplitude (e. g. one centimetre total) in response to relatively small actuative current. In addition, the power component of this current is small; because the vibratory operation is almost purely elastic and because the actuative circuit is highly inductive.

If it is desired to operate the contactor substantially in phase with the power voltage concerned, as in simple or multiple rectification (distinguished from series commutation), the moving system should be tuned to respond to a frequency slightly lower than the electric frequency in the coil 55. This will cause the moving system to vibrate with a time lag slightly greater than 90 degrees behind the actuative flux and current. If the coil 55 be connected across the voltage being rectified then the lag of the actuative current, slightly less than 90 degrees in the inductive circuit, will bring the actuative motion substantially into phase-opposition with the voltage being rectified.

In contactor 58 of Figs. 6 and 7, the power circuit is closed and opened by the motion 01' a conductive, inverted U system in the lower portion of the cell 58. Specifically the U-blades 82, 82 of sheet copper edged with strips 88, 88 of sheet tungsten or molybdenum, are suspended from the actuative spring 19 (by means later detailed), above the two separate and insulated pools 84, 84 of liquid metal such as mercury or a dilute amalgam. In Fig. 6 these blades 82 are shown in their position of rest, to which they are returned by the spring 19 when the contactor is idle.

In the bottom of the insulating cup 14 are molded two copper plugs 85, 85, with their upp r faces flush with the floor of the cup. The lateral surfaces of these plugs preferably should be plated with a metal such as nickel which is not wetted by mercury, in order to prevent the liquid metal from creeping out of the cell along the sides of these plugs by surface tension. The pools 84 are separated by a partition 88 molded as an integral part of the insulating cup 14. Through the plugs 85, the pools are Joined to the external connection prongs 81, 81 which are adapted to be plugged into sockets (not shown) in a manner similar to that for radio tubes. Thereby a contactor at will may be connected into any power system to whose purposes it is adapted, and readily removed for replacement and repair.

By means of the insulating plug 88 securely screwed into the lower external tube 54, the cup 14 is held against the thrust from the bolts I5, nuts 15, cap 18 and cell tube H, through its gaskets 12. The tensile reaction is of course carried back through the composite shell 58. For structural convenience, the cup 14 is circular in plan, the partition 88 is diametrical, and the pools 84, 84 are nearly semicircular.

is provided in the rings.

ed by means of a dynamometer and an exten- Bymeansofthepln8l,theU-biadesl2are fastened to a supporting member. This member 8| is one of three threaded tubes, through the coaction of which the height of the working edge 88 of the U-blade 82 may be adjusted. The lower tube 9| is externally finely threaded through- .these tubes are made of material such as a resinoid.

Across a diameter of the intermediate tube or diflerential nut 82 extends a pin 84, which is engaged by a long slot 95 in a tubular member 88. The upper end of member 88 is connected by the pin 88a to the extension tube 85b. The latter member is tightly threaded into the pipe elbow 81, into which in turn is threaded the check valve 98 having a sealing cap 88. The parts 88, sea, 88b, 81 and 88 form a convenient wrench by which the differential nut 82 may be turned from without the cell 68. Thereby the height of the contacting edges 88 may be adjusted not only in very fine steps but also while the contactor is in vibratory operation. For example. if the thread pitches be 24 and 20 to the inch, the height adjustment will be only 0.008" per turn of the wrench. For a half-stroke of 0.187" below the neutral position, this adjustment is only 4.8%

per full turn, and in practice it permits close regulation of the contacting period.

The tube 88a passes through a gland Ill made gas-tight by the packing I02, in turn pressed around the tube by the gland-nut M8. The body of the gland IN is tightly screwed into the cap II, or may be made integral therewith.

In addition to its part in the height adjusting, the tube 850 serves to connect the cell interior with the check-valve 88. Before operation of the contactor, the cell 88 by this channel is evacuated, then filled with hydrogen to a pressure a little above atmospheric for low-voltage p ration or to many atmospheres pressure for highvoltage utilization.

Reverting to the spring system, it is desirable that some means be provided to prevent overtravel of the downward vibratory stroke, and preferably that the limiting be cushioned. Finding that a compressive spring of uniform pitch does provide the stroke limitation but with a rather sharp slap upon its simultaneous closure of all the turns, I have resorted to springs of pitch somewhat longer at the ends and shorter at the middle. Thereby a spring starts closure first at the shorter-pitched middle and, if further driven, closes progressively toward the ends. In consequence the impact and sound of closure upon moderate overdriving are reduced to negligible amounts.

I have found a convenient and accurate method of uniformizing the natural vibratory frequency of the loaded springs, from one to another. In forming the springs 18 with their upper terminal rings 8|, a slight excess of weight The stiifnesses are testsometer, and graphs Plotted with force as ordinates against deflection as abscissae. The major lengths of these graphs are straight, with curvature of increased stiflness (slope) developing toward the ends as final closure occurs. The straight portion may show 0.180" total deflection for pounds force, for example. The slopes of the tangent portions of the graphs of the several springs may have small percentage deviations from the intended stillness corresponding to the basic loading. By turning in the lathe, the above mentioned excess weight is thereupon altered or entirely removed according to the amount of deviation of stiffness. For example, if a spring measures 1% stifler than the intended, then 1% excess weight is retained in its loading. In the example of Fig. 6 and for the above-mentioned stiffness, the total loading is of the order of 100 grams.

In Fig. 8 is shown a modified form of elastic element that may serve instead of the compression coil spring 19 of Fig. 6, comprising the steel multiple bellows I. This element somewhat resembles the multiple bellows used in aneroid barometers and, like the spring 1!, is provided with terminal-ring portions ll! (lower) and Ill (upper), serving the same purposes and iltted to other parts in the same manner as in the spring.

The bellows I04, including its terminal portions is provided with a single longitudinal split to prevent annular currents being induced by the longitudinal actuative flux. Its juxtaposed faces I 01 are attracted one to another by the flux; and when its stiffness is tuned with the loading to give natural periodicity close to the actuative frequency, a good amplitude of vibration may be attained. Like the-coilspring 19, the elastic bellows I has some leakage of magnetic flux along its metallic path shunting the working gaps from face to face; and for this same reason its body also preferably should be of an alloy-steel having relatively low magnetic permeability. As with the spring 19, the actuative flux employed with the elastic bellows I may be polarized, for selective action in either vibratory or occasional contacting.

In Figs, 9, 10 and 11 are shown a modified basal cup and contained elements for contactor 54 having substantial advantages additional to those of the circular form in.Fig. 6. Here the cup I08 is square in plan, the bottom plugs 65 therein are rectangular and, being larger in size and ampere capacity, may each be provided with two external connection prongs 81 instead of one. The contact compartments Ill, I", separated by the partition iii, are rectangular. It will be seen that the plural blades 82 coacting there- .with are uniform in width, instead of fitted to a circle as in Fig. 6, and may be otherwise unchanged. In these rectangular compartments are fitted stationary contacts H2, III, which present certain improvements of my invention now tobeexplained.

During Gil-cycle operation of the contactor shown in Fig. 6, I have found in some cases that the mercury pools 84 are too mobile in their coaction with blades 82; with the result that the levels of the pools vary from instant to instant sufilciently to make the periodic contacting irregular. A good construction for providing sound conduction during the working portion of the cycle and more accurate timing of its starting and ending. is one employing as the stationary contacts H2 loosely assembled books" of mercury wetted, vertical, sheet-metal laminations i I! set at right angles with the blades 82 and provided with slots H4 into which the blades penetrate on their downward strokes.

A metal that is well suited for economy, conductance and good wetting with mercury in the books is copper. A metal having the highest refractoriness to resist the erosive action of any sparking upon contact-breaking in inert gas is tungsten, or in somewhat less degree molybdenum. A suitable Joining of these metals gives excellent means of eiiicient conduction combined with great durability. The cheap and good conductor copper is needed in the main body of the contact books I I2, and small portions of the somewhat expensive and highly refractory tungsten are needed only at the contact-breaking edges of the slots H4. In addition, it is desirable that the tungsten portions be coated with a metal or alloy readily wetted with mercury, so that the benefits oi the liquid metal may be carried to the edges.

In practice, I employ for the laminations H3 sheets of relatively thin copper topped for about ya" height with slightly thinner strips of tungsten or molybdenum edgewise welded or silver-brazed to the copper, and a thin coating over the tungsten of metal easily wetted by but not very soluble in mercury, such as copper or certain silver brazes. Tapes of the tungsten-edged copper so made are easily and uniformly stamped out to proper shapes profiled by the slots I II.

In like manner the tungsten tips .3 of the blades 82 may be coated with metal or alloy easily wetted with mercury. Thus wetted, the tips may be employed in occasional switching, or in vibratory contacting wherever the duration of vertical pick-up of mercury by surface tension is a sufficiently small percentage of the contacting period. or where the pick-up is sufliciently constant to permit accurate adjustment of the total time of the contact cycle. In such cases the wetting of the moving blade edges ll additionally to the wetting of the sides of the slots Ill substantially increases the conductance of contact through each working period, and thus raises the eiliciency and ampere capacity of the apparatus.

Since in each cycle of motion the blade edges 83 are lifted out of the slots H4 and must return accurately thereto, guiding means must be provided for the movement. I have found that plural sets of coacting cylinders and plungers serve this P rp se well, and are also adapted to another valuable function. In Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are shown two metal cylinders ill, HI and in sliding fit therewith two metal plungers III, III. The cylinders are fastened to the copper floor plu s II and stand through clearance holes H1, H1 in the book-form contacts H2. The plungers ii. are insulatively supported from a crosshead III that in this form suports also the blades 82. This crosshead may be a molding of resinoid, in turn fastened to the supporting tube OI by the socket portion ill molded over the tube-end.

The cylinders ill and plungers ill serve the additional function of equalizing the quantities of mercury or liquid amalgam on the two sides of partition 86. Whenever there is substantial sparking at the contacts, and of significant difference between the two sides, the continued vaporization of mercury induces gradual denuding on one side and accumulation on the other, unless counteracted. It may be oil'set by causing the parts ill and ill to coact as a pair of pumps working competitively. As seen best in Fig, 10, in each cylinder II! is provided an inlet or suction port ill, and in each plunger a discharge port I22, placed high and aimed over the partact members.

tition 90. If either pool 94 becomes drained below the top of inlet port Hi, the discharge of its pump into the opposite pool becomes diminished, while the discharge of the other pump back into the flrst pool becomes actually increased because of the correspondingly higher flooding of its inlet port. It is readily seen that this cooperation should keep the two mercury pools relatively equal in level; and in practice, so it does.

In the operation of my improved contactors for vibratory conversion, I have found that irregularity of contacting is sometimes caused by splashing of mercury from the impact of the moving are made semicircular and peripherally separated members with the liquid in open pools or evenin the slots of the form of contactor 54 shown in Figs. 9, and 11. Droplets of the liquid metal that are thrown upward on the downstroke of the moving members occasionally may span between the stationary contact elements and the tips of the moving ones after their parting, unless the free flight of these droplets is arrested. Such arrest is readily accomplished by means of the splash-guards I23, I23 illustrated in these three figures as flat vanes of thin metal attached to the moving blades just above the level of their maximum contactive penetration. In other forms of contactors set forth hereinafter, the splash-preventing function is performed by flat "contact manifolds that carry the multiple salient con- The principle in all of these is that the arresting surfaces strike down the splashed droplets during the contactive portion and hence remove them from the open-circuit portion of the working cycles.

In Figs. 12 and 13 is depicted a form, I20, of the improved contactor more particularly suited to relatively high-voltage operation, by virtue of increased amplitudes of contact motion and of adaptation to longer creepage distances over internal surfaces of insulation. The polarizing and external actuative parts may be the same as in Figs. 6 and 7, the same part numbers thereof are employed, and their explanation need not be repeated here. For the same reason as in contactor 34, the entire shell 69 has one longitudinal split 98, matched by radial splits B1 in the polarizing flanges 4| and 42. Since contactor I20 is intended for relatively high voltages, its coil II is jacketed with extra insulation I24.

The enclosed cell I25 of contactor I29 is fllled with gas 69 (such as hydrogen) as in contactor 54, generally at higher pressure because of higher operating voltage. The principal differences are in the case and in the internal parts. The upper wall and dome are formed of the insulating tube I29, as of molded resinoid. Into it is taperthreaded and cemented top plug I21 of copper,

,whereof the relatively high expansion coeillcient is suited for fitting with the insulating material, of still higher coefficient. The lower member of the enclosure is the insulating cup I28, also as of molded resinoid.

The example of elastic and actuation elements in Fig. 12 differs from that in Fig. 6 in that they are-here separate rather than combined as a compression spring. The tensile coil spring I29 is employed to support the moving contactive elements. For vibratory contacting, its stiflness in relation to its loading is such that the natural frequency of the moving system is close to the actuative frequency, as explained in relation to Fig. 6. For discontinuous switching the spring may be made much less still, in favor of easier magnetic actuation.

In contactor no, the internal actuation ele- 7s ment is the pair of mild-steel semicircular halfplungers I3I, I3I, the lower periphery of which is of such height at neutral. pontion as to be attracted downward by magnetic flux subtending in order to prevent induced circular currents. Diametrically, theyare strongly joined together by means of .the steel pin I32 tightly fltted in the spring-foot I33 and countersunk-riveted in the outer faces of the half-plungers. For reasons of electric conduction as will appear, the springfoot I33 is preferably made of copper.

The spring I29 is strongly fastened to springfoot I33 and to spring-head I34 (also of copper for good conduction) by means such as helical grooving of these end fittings screwed into about one spring turn each, and preferably also by silver-soldering. If the spring is of a good conductor such as beryllium-alloyed copper, it may carry a fair proportion of the power current to the contacts detailed below; but as other means are also provided for this conduction, the spring I29 may be of steel or alloy steel. It is not desirable that the spring should carry a relatively large power current to the contact system, for the reason that in so doing, the amplitude of its motion is likely to be disturbed by the electro-' magnetic attraction among its turns and thus by the variations of the power current or loading. Variable electric heating of the spring is also undesirable.

The electric shunting of spring I29 is done by elements that perform additionally the valuable function of accurately guiding the vertical movement of the spring-supported parts. In the spring-head I34 are provided one central or preferably plural, symmetrically spaced long bores I35 adapted to receive long plungers I36, I36. The fitting I34 being of copper as stated, the plungers I 39 preferably should be of a stiff good conductor such as beryllium copper. In order to prevent erosion by the mercury the bores I35 and the surfaces of the plungers I36 may be thinly clad with a relatively hard metal, such as a copper-nickel alloy, that is wetted by but not very soluble in mercury. These coatings are not shown, but will be readily understood. For example, they may be provided as thin tubes, pressed into the bores and onto the plungers respectively.

By means of drain-holes I31 and gutter I39, the coacting bores and plungers are kept wetted with mercuryrising as vapor from below and condensing on the upper, cool parts. The mercury serves both as lubricant to the plungers and as a superior agent for electric contact between these sliding parts.

The top plug I21 is continued upward into the threaded extension or stud I39 havin a tall nut I for clamping the tongue I42 of the cable terminal I43 serving as the top connection to the external power cable I44. Extending into a, hollow within this nut and protected thereby is the short external nib of a metal 'gas-filling tube I45. This small tube, brazed into the stud I39 communicates with the interior of the cell by the long passage I49. The cell is evacuated and then gas-filled under a pressure suited to the operating voltage; and while the pressure is held the small tube is then squeezed, heated to a welding or brazing temperature and cooled. This known method of sealing oil is given as an example, but other procedure may be employed therefor.

t manifold ill, by means of the stem I 48 is f ened to the spring-foot I". 'Ihe contact manifol is provided with holes I", into which are tightly fitted contact pins ISI, Ill. As in the blades of contactor in Fig. 6 the pins IlI may be of copper provided with tungsten tips I", or they may be of tungsten throughout. As shown hatched in Fig... 13, they are spaced in a uniform pattern, preferably at the corners of equal squares about twice as large on a side as the diameter of the pins. The pins here conduct vertically only, rather than in a path of inverted U.form.

In non-periodic or low-frequency periodic operation, suillcient precision of contact timing may often be attained by employing to coact with the moving pins iii a simple pool of liquid metal. However, in Figs. 12 and 13 is shown such a pool I54 modified by the addition of liquid-stilling means. The illustrated stilling agency comprises a set of vertical stationary pins iii of size and spacing similar to those of the moving pins Iii, ISI, fixed to the floor-plate Ilia, and of length sufficient to project slightly above the surface of the liquid metal I. As seen in Fig. 13 the pattern of the moving pins III is so spaced in relation to that of the stationary pins I" (unhatched) that the moving ones dip into the mercury without touching the fixed one. In lowervoltage units therefore, the stationary pins need not be of spark-resistant metal; but in units of voltage sufficiently high to sustain elongated arcs that might reach the pins, they should be made of tungsten.

I have found these stationary pins considerably effective in stilling the surface of the pool b causing wave interference and damping; but the eflect can be furthered by an additional means here illustrated. It consists of the wound hollow body I55 of wire gauze, occupying the space between the pins I53 and the wall of the cup I28. The function of this hollow, porous In Fig. 14 is shown a modification of the contact elements of my improved contactor wherein the moving pins III and stationary pins III of Fig. 12 are made so slim and so closely spaced as to constitute pliable bristles I62- and I of respectively movable wire brush Ill and stationary wire brush I". I have found that if two brushes of closely spaced fine wirezbristles are brought together bristle-end-wise and approximately parallel, they will mesh with little mechanical impact for considerable penetration, and that in so doing they will make reliable, lowresistance electric contact. As in Fig. 12, the lower bristles I" are set in stationary pin-plate Illa and the upper ones in movable contact manifold Ill. The lower brush I" may be submerged in mercury I", nearly to the tops of its bristles Ill.

In operation of the contactor having these small-wire contact brushes and mercury, the moving bristles make contact with both the stationary bristles and the submerging mercury. The mercury increases the area and ampere capacity of the contacting surfaces, and the lower bristles reduce the agitation of the mercury by the moving bristles. The moving and stationary bristles preferably should be made of a refractory metal such as tungsten. This brush form of coacting contacts is adaptable to short or long periods of contacting, by adjustment of the neutral position and the amplitude of motion of brush I.

Fig. 15 shows in plan section the moving contact pins ISI of Fig. 12 coacting with a mercury pool having instead of the stationary pins a stilling means comprising a rill Ina of squarespaced, thin vertical separators. The grill is formed of vertical strips intersecting each other by means of slits in the familiar manner (as in egg cartons), and suitably fastened to a floorplate. The strips of the grill may be of metal, or of thin insulation such as mica or micanite. If of insulating material, the grill may impart greater precision to the contact timing; because body is to damp out any residual waves rather than allow them to be reflected from the cup wall.

The contactor of form I20 is well suited to operation in serious commutation, where the contacting period is relatively short. With approximately sinusoidal movement, the pin tips I52 require relatively shallow penetration in order to make contact for brief intervals. In such cases, generally requiring greater contactive precision, there is less disturbance by the shallow dipping. For large ampere capacity, the shallowness of penetration can be offset by an ample number of pins Iii.

The bottom power connection of contactor I" is completed by way of the single copper stud I56. The stud is molded into the basal cup I18 with the head I51 flush with the cup floor, for contact with the mercury therein. The stud IE6 is extended downward as a connection prong I" adapted to be plugged into a socket (not shown) included in the power circuit served by the contactor. For .securer molding the stud is provided with a shoulder I58 keyed into the bottom of the cup I28; and the lateral surface of the stud may be nickel-plated to prevent capillary creepage of mercury. Screws Iii, I6I, preferably with self-locking threads, are fitted into the top of stud I" to hold down the floor-plate IN.

there is then no stray contacting between the moving pins III and a conducting grill, by subtending mercury droplets or sustained sparks. The pockets in the meshes of the grill should be made to communicate with each other as by small holes through the strips, in order that the static level of the mercury may be equalized among a In Figs. l6, l7 and 18 is shown ,an improved cellular contactor I61 wherein connection may be made selectively and usually cyclically, between either of two pairs of terminals. This function is in common with that of the contactor in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive; but more particularly than those in the first figures, the presently described form is designed for heavy ampere capacities. With appropriate dimensions and materials, it is also suitable for high-voltage operation.

In these figures the case I" is made of a molded material such as a resinoid or glass, and may be formed as front and rear halves as shown in Fig. 18. The vertical profile of the ease I68 is bottle-like and continuous, including the shaped floor I89, the body I", the stem I12 and the closed top Ill. Its halves are strongly clamped together by the bolts I'll, I14, with an intervening, gastight, cemented gasket Ill, and evacuated and gas-filled by means not shown.

Fitted to the exterior of case I" is a ferromagnetic assembly comprising the mild-steel pole cap I16, two bar permanent magnets I11, I11. of alloy'steel. and the laminated horizontal C- shaped flux-ring I18 with two salient poles I19,

I19. The laminated flux-ring is wound with coil I8 I, disposed to form poles at the salients I19 and, for periodic operation, excited with alternating current synchronized in any desired phase relation with the power 'current being rectified or commutated. For non-periodic operation, the coil I8I may be excited with either an ,irnpulse or a holding current in either direction selectively.

Within the case at the top is firmly mounted the reed-head I82, of rectangular form fitted to the rectangular cavity bounded by the internal rim I83. Integral with the reed-head I82 at its center (Fig. 16), is the reed I84. From the head I82 to a level slightly below. the salient poles I19, the reed is of magnetically permeable steel of high elastic modulus, and therebelow it comprises a strongly welded-on extension I86 of non-magnetic steel such as 18% Cr, 8% Ni alloy. Upon the lower portion of the permeable reed are mounted right and left, steel armatures I86, I86 for receiving the fiux from the salient poles I19, without bringing the reed too close to the wall of the case-stem I12 for proper mechanical clearance.

The reed I84 is polarized by the permanent magnetism in the circuit I16I11-I18-I19- I86I84I62I16. Accordingly, it is selectively sensitive to the direction of excitation in the alternating-flux circuit I19 (left)-I86- I86I19 (right) -l18-I19 (left), and is attracted to the right Or left salient pole I19 having the stronger sum of polarizing and actuative magnetism. If the reed and its loading are tuned to a natural frequency near that of the electromagnetic actuation through the coil I8I. the reed system will swing rythmically with a large amplitude determined partly by the actuative current.

To the lower end of reed-extension I85 are strongly fixed the moving metal contact bars I81, I81, two in number. The bars may be uninsulated from one another, but in general it is preferred that they be separated right and left by the insulating member I68, in order to increase the electric clearance between live movable contacts and idle stationary contacts.

The bars and insulating members should be strongly fastened to the reed-extension I65 as by means of the insulating inserts I89, I89 and set-screws I9I, I9I.

Upon the fioor I69 and against the walls of the body I1I of the case I68 are mounted the stationary contacts I92, I92, four in number. Stationary contacts I92 are formed of corrugated laminations I99 and tungsten lamination margins I94. The laminated assemblies are firmly mounted upon copper channel-bars I95, I95, in turn fitted closely into the case body I1I. The channel bars are first joined to the prongs I96, I96 mechanically or by welding. and the combined angles and prongs molded into the halves of the case I68. The channel-bars are provided with dove-tails I91, I91, and onto these are fitted the laminations I93. Before closing the case, insulating spacing members I98 are keyed onto the dove-tails and between the front and rear contacts I 92 of Fig. 18.

Upon the impact of the moving contact I81 against the stationary contact I92, the latter is driven horizontally a short distance by virtue of the resilience of its corrugations. If by selection of the thickness and corrugation profile of the laminations I98 in relation to their masses, their horizontal stiffness is such as to give them a natural periodicity slightly higher than the contactive operating frequency, the stationary members will not bounce away from the moving ones upon impact, but will be driven back and return in persistent contact. This form of contactor is well adapted to be operated at high voltages and with brief contacting periods as in series commutation.-

Thecontact-auxiliary function of liquid metal may be availed in contactor I61. A small amount of mercury I99 may be placed on the concave fioor I69 of the cell case and the moving insulating member I88 provided with a downward extension or sweep 28I dipping lightly into the mercury when at rest. Under periodic motion the mercury is thrown by sweep 28I up onto the faces of the stationary contacts I92 and moving ones I81. If the faces of these contacts are wholly or partly of a metal easily wetted by mercury, such as copper, they will be protected from any sparking, by the vicarious sparking and vaporization of the adherent mercury. For severe or emergency operation, the mentioned tungsten lamination margins I94 of the stationary contact laminations I83 may be made to share the sparking with the mercury, as by providing half the laminations with such tungsten margins interspersed with the other half of plain copper wetted by the mercury. The moving contact bars I81 may likewise be built of horizontal laminations (not shown) with alternating copper and tungsten contacting edges.

In Fig. 16 attention is called to the showing that the polarization is not opposite as between the right and left salients I19, I19, but rather as between these parts and the pole-cap I16, and thus between the lower and upper ends of the ferromagnetic reed I84. In, this arrangement the divided vertical path of the polarizing fiux is one of constant reluctance, as is also the horizontal, series-gap path of the alternating fiux previously outlined. The rectangular polarizing magnets I11, I11 are encased in shells 282, 282 of non-magnetic and preferably highly conductive metal such as copper, the ends of which are formed over the ferromagnetic end plugs 283, 283 and 284, 284. To complete the structural assembly, these plugs in turn are fastened to the polecap I16 by the bolts 285, 285 and to the flux-ring I18 by bolts 286, 286. These bolts may be secured by lock-washers 281, 281.

In Figs. 19 and 20 I have shown a variant of the Improved contactors wherein the primary movement is rotary and is converted into reciprocation driving the moving contacts. Here the contactor 288 as a whole is shown medially supported upon the insulating plate 289, which may carry any number of units appropriately connected among themselves and toa power system for rectification or commutation.

The contactor 288 comprises the case 2 and the external and internal functional elements. The case is divided into three parts, the upper shell 2I2 of insulative material, the metallic pelvis 2 I 3, and the lower insulative shell 2 I 4 hung from 2I8. The upper shell 2I2 supports the external and guides the internal electromagnetic actuation elements. The pelvis 2I3 and its appurtenances externally support the whole contactor, intern-ally support and guide the moving element (driving, translatory and driven), and electrically connect the moving contacts with one of the external terminals. The lower shell 2 supports and houses the stationary contacts, and mounts the other external power terminal.

In the upper portion of Fig. 19, the motor 213 comprises the external stator 2 l6 and the internal rotor 2 1. The motor has a single winding structure in the stator 2 l3, but the rotor is divided into the magnetically polarized field 2|3 (also marked N--S) and the secondary squirrel-cage H9. The magnetic gap between stator and rotor is occupied by the thin wall of upper shell H2 and by a close clearance 22| between the interior of the shell and the periphery of the rotor.

The stator 2|3 is of a standard synchronousmotor construction on a small scale, having the winding 222 in slots 223, 223 of the laminated core 224. The winding is polyphase, and of suitable design for the voltage, frequency and required torque. For a reason that will appear in reference to the rotary-reciprocative, translatory device, the winding is here four-polar. The stator through the core 224 is supported and fixed by the housing 223, in turn supported through arms 22B, 226 from the clampring 221 fastened to the shel1 2l2 near its top. The rotor shaft 223 is accurately centered by the ball bearing 223.

After it has been brought up to speed by starting means, the rotary field 213 is synchronously driven by the travelling fiux of the stator windi'ng 222. As a most convenient and effective starting agency, I have incorporated the secondary squirrel-cage 2|! on the same shaft 228 and within the influence of the common stator winding 222. After synchronism is attained the squirrel-cage obviously contributes no torque, but it serves usefully to prevent hunting by the synchronous field. The field 2|3 is formed of a single piece of alloy steel permanently magnetized with four poles as indicated above the axis of symmetry in Fig. 20. The pole-ends N and S are shaped somewhat as shown in order to facilitate protection to the permanent magnet against demagnetizing action from the stator while starting by the collaboration of the copper damper 23| intervening between the poles and partly covering their ends. The rotor of the induction motor is completed by the laminated steel core 232 interlocked with the squirrel-cage 2|9 and fitted to the shaft 223. The copper of the damper 23| may be integral with that of the squirrel-cage 2|3.

The induction motor, through the common stator winding 222, is effectively in series with the synchronous motor. Upon starting the composite motor at its full voltage, the damper 23| contributes some torque; but its main efl'ect at that time is, through mutual induction largely to remove the inductive reactance of the upper or synchronous-motor portion of the stator winding. This leaves nearly the full voltage applied to the induction motor, which therefore develops large startingtorque and rapid acceleration. The variable, reluctance around the periphery of the synchronous-motor rotor contributes pull-in torque to that of the permanent magnetism.

After synchronism is attained the induction motor (now torqueless but anti-hunting) remains as an unloaded transformer in series with the synchronous motor. If the synchronous motor is overexcited by its permanent field and thus made condensive, there will be an inductive drop in the induction motor, to meet the overall voltage. he wattless exciting current can be made small or even zero; while the actuative power current is fixed by the mechanical work of the contactor plus the total actuative losses.

With the wattless and power actuative currents derived from design and testing, the phase of rotation and contacting becomes known. It may be adjusted in relation to the main current, by alteration of the permanent-field strength, by shifting to other points of connection in the power-transformer polyphasing from which the actuative current is supplied, by similar shifting of (symmetrical) connections around the polyphue stator winding 222, by angularly shifting the stator with respect to shell 2|2, or by other improved means hereinafter set forth with reference to Fig. 32.

The shaft 228 is supported and centered near its lower end by the thrust-and-radial ball hearing 233, in turn sustained and centered by the metal pelvis 2|3. On the extension of the shaft below this bearing is fixed a grooved, cylindrical cam 234. The pattern of the grooving 233 when considered in development, is preferably a sinusoid of two whole cycles, 1. e. two peaks and two valleys. Cooperating with cam 234 are two roller-type cam followers 233, 233 spaced degrees apart and mounted upon journals 231, 231, which are fixed to sliding cylinders 233, 233.

These slides 233 are free to move up and down, supported only by the journals 233; and they are accurately positioned on the axes of the guide rods 23!, 239 that are rigidly fastened to the pelvis H3. The slide-tubes are provided with holes 24|, 24| through which liquid metal, precipitated upon the outsides of the tubes from splashing or volatilization at the contacts below, percolates to the bores of the tubes. There it wets the junction between the guide-rods and slide-tubes, lubricates their relative motion and, of great importance, enhances the electric conductance therebetween. The slide-tubes, the guide rods and the pelvis are made of still, highly conductive metal such as hard-drawn copper or preferably beryllium-copper. In order to prevent erosion of the sliding surfaces by mercury, the bores of the slide-tube and the surfaces of the guide rods may be thinly veneered with material wetted but not dissolved by mercury, such as an alloy of copper and nickel.

To the slide-tubes 233 jointly is rigidly fixed the moving contact 242. This contact is made up of the plural blades 243, fixed in the contact-head 244, which is fastened to the tubes 233 by means of the pin 243 or other suitable means; the pinning being somewhat diagrammatic for clarity. Coacting with moving contact 242 is stationary contact 243, here shown in the mercury-wetted, laminated form previously described. The slots 241 are aligned with moving blades 243, and the "book" of laminations is held 'down by bars 243, 243 and screws 243, 243 to the copper block 23| whose top is flush with the floor of the shell 2. The floor-block 23| is externally connected to the power terminal 232, held by the clamp-bolt 233. The other power terminal 234, by means of its clamp bolt 233, is connected to the external flange 233 of the pelvis 2 3'. I

A small amount of liquid metal is contained as a pool 231 in the bottom of shell 2, bathing the lower part of stationary contact 243 and wetting the contact faces of. slots 241. It will be seen that the operation of the lower or contacting part of contactor 233 is much the same as that of contactor I23, Fig. 12. he doublesinusoidal or 720-degree slotting of cm 234 from a single cam having a multiplied number,

oi groove peaks and valleys, of a succession of moving contacts 242 coacting commutatively with plural stationary contacts 288, with suitable insulative separations. The synchronous actuation and its induction-motor starting are not tuned to a fixed frequency, hence contactor 288 may be used in commutating generators as well as converters. By special'design, the actuative motor could be driven with direct current, as in inversion from direct to alternating-current power. 7

I have found that in combination with their, other valuable properties my cellular contactors can be made self-polarizing of their actuation, by simple electrical means, and with their permanent magnets omitted. Two forms of electric polarizing means are shown, in Figs. 21 and 22. Both depend upon the principle of supplying to their coils actuative currents that are periodic at the power-current frequency but are -nearly or quite unidirectional.

In Fig. 21 is shown by diagram a contactor 26! (of the general form of Fig. 6) whose polarized actuation is effected by means of the connection of the actuative coil 86 directly across the power terminals 81, by means of the coil leads 262, 262. When power voltage is applied across the terminals 81, the resultant current in coil 55 produces a flux in the magnetic circuit through the upper composite pole-tube 268, the spring-head 8!, the spring 18, the lower spring-supporting ring 18, the pole-ring 68, the lower tube 64, the lower composite pole-tube 268 and the coil-covering tube 265. With the exception of the high-carbon or alloy steel spring 18, all of these external and internal magnetic parts are of mild steel; and the internal assembly and external assembly thereof each has a single full-length open split, to prevent Foucault currents.

In one example of its utilization, this contactor serves as an interrupter in series with direct-current input to an inverter" to alternating current. When the spring head 8| is drawn down by the inner-tum attraction of the spring 18, the 'blades 82 short-circuit the pools 84, the terminal prongs 81 and the actuative coil 66. This removes the magnetic attractive force and allows the blades to rise out of the pools after the swing of system momentum. Thereupon the system is again attracted downward, and after completing the upward swing comes down to repeat the cycle. This vibratory system becomes stabilized at a frequency determined by the stillness and the inertia of its parts; and it may be adiusted to give a long contact duration per cycle.

In another example of its utilization, contactor 26! may serve as a half-wave rectifier in series with an alternating-current output. If the internal vibratory system be tuned close to the frequency of the alternating current, the movement and resultant contacting will be- ,come stable at a particular duration of contact per cycle. The duration can be controlled, as by adJustment of the static clearance between the blades and pools. This means of polarizing, i. e. of producing large differences between halves of the cycle of actuative flux gives the tuned vibratory system a greater responsiveness at the power alternating-current frequency than would be the case with unpolarized actuation. With the vibratory system tuned at 60 cycles and excitation supplied unpolarized at this frequency, there would be impulses of magnetic attraction per second. This double number of impulses could produce 60-cycle vibration, but less eiiectively than could 60 impulses per second.

In Fig. 22 is shown a contactor 266 of the general form of Fig. 12 but having polarized means external to itself, comprising a small halfwave rectifier 261 in series in leads 268 between the alternating-current power source 268 and the actuative coil 65. The small rectifier 261 may be of the Junction type; and its function is to cause the actuatlve flux, now unidirectional, to produce attractive force in only one (the downward) direction of the vibratory movement. In this form the polarizing magnet is absent. the. coil 66 is again iron-clad in the tube 286 as in Fig. 21, and the remaining parts and their numbers are the same as the pertinent ones of Fig. 12.

In some cases it is advantageous to combine certain parts from one form of contactor herein with other elements from another form illustrated, to produce still another modification of the contactor. For instance, it may be desired to exploit actuative elements of the compressivespring type in combination with pelvic contactor support, sliding lead-in of power current, and

vertical rather than inverted-U conduction thereof.

Figs. 23 and 24 show such a recombination into an improved design, of essential elements adapted from Figs. 6 and 19. The part numbers are mainly borrowed from these figures, with new ones where needed. This contactor is designated 2H, and comprises the case 212 formed of the upper shell 218 of insulative material, the metallic pelvis-ring 214, the lower or cup-insulative ring 215, and the metal cup 216 having the integral terminal post 211. The cup and terminal post should be of a metal or alloy of reasonable good conductivity and insoluble in mercury, such as beryllium-alloyed copper.

For contactor 21l, the magnetic system comprises the polarizing elements 86 to 53. inclusive, the externalactuative parts 55 to 61 inclusive, and the internal, compressive-type actuated elements 18 to 8|, inclusive, all similar in nature and function to the corresponding parts in Fig.

6. The cell is filled with protective gas 68.

In Fig. 23 the drive-transmitting and heightadjustive parts are modified in detail from those of Fig. 6. In the upper hollow of spring-head 8! is suitably fastened as by rivets (not shown) the insulative bushing 218 supporting the metal fixed nut 218 molded thereinto. The bushing 218 is provided with ventilative holes 28!, to prevent pneumatic compression by or excessive damping to the motion of the spring-head. The heightadjustive elements for the driven system comprise the nut 218, the stud 282 which may be turned in this fixed nut, thereby to raise or lower the stud and its dependent, driven parts. a pin 283 for a spanner wrench, and some simple locking parts. These are teeth28l on the upper end 

